The Trylon Microcinema is screening a series of films by Andy and Lana Wachowski on Monday and Tuesday nights at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM all throughout the month of April. The four films selected will provide “a vibrant cross-section of [the Wachowskis’s] work” which often explores “themes of an oppressed underclass rising up against those in control” in “cinematic environments that feel well-considered and complete.” The film being shown tonight and tomorrow night is 1999’s The Matrix; the three other films that will be shown in the weeks ahead are 1996’s Bound, 2005’s V for Vendetta, and 2008’s Speed Racer.

Making its return to the Twin Cities this year, the Literary Death Match is “an electric night of literature, comedy, mayhem, genius, imbibing, laughter, joy and general good cheer” in which four writers will read from their works for up to seven minutes, after which they will be judged by a panel of three “all-star judges.” The top two readers will then compete against one another in the finale, “a vaguely-literary game” which will decide the ultimate winner of the event.

Readers will include Jeffery Renard Allen (writer of Holding Pattern and Song of the Shank), Mark Doten (writer of The Infernal), Roxane Gay (writer of Ayiti, Bad Feminist, and An Untamed State), and Claire Vaye Watkins (writer of Battleborn). Judges will include Benjamin Percy (writer of The Dead Lands and The Wilding, judging on “literary merit”), POS (hip-hop artist and founding member of the Doomtree Collective, judging on “performance”), and Susan Orlean (writer of The Orchid Thief and Rin Tin Tin, judging on “intangibles”).

Another option Wednesday evening is TC Trek Trivia, the only pub trivia in the Twin Cities dedicated solely to Star Trek. Hosted by “Master Trekkie” (featured in our article Meet Minnesota Cosplayers: Cyril Cosplay, Master Trekkie, Ninjabearbear09, and Brichibi Cosplays), TC Trek Trivia consists of five rounds: General Trek (questions covering all things Star Trek); Identify the Image; Ships, Technology, and Cultures; Complete the Quote; and a “Wild Card” round (which was Spock-centric last month in memory of Leonard Nimoy, and which will focus on First Contact this month). Questions for each of these five rounds are drawn from all seven Star Trek television series and all twelve films. According to Master Trekkie himself, TC Trek Trivia is “all ages, no cover, food, drinks and a whole lot of Trek!” and is frequently followed by live music, provided this month by Crank the Thermostat.

What: Science!When: Thursday, April 9th at 6:00 PMWhere: The Science Museum of Minnesota

Events in the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Social Science series are “adult nights” at the museum, “welcoming those 21 and over to grab a drink, enjoy the museum, and experience innovative programming.” The innovative programming this month is “Fermentational Informational”, which will invite attendees to “put beer under the microscope and celebrate the biology, chemistry and hand-to-mouth physics that delight your senses.” Activities will include fermentation demonstrations, beer density experiments, and presentations by experts, all of which will be accompanied by limited beer sampling from local breweries such as Bang Brewing, Bauhaus Brew Labs, Bent Brewstillery, Bent Paddle Brewing Company, East Lake Craft Brewery, Insight Brewing Company, North Gate Brewery, Sociable Cider Werks, Tin Whiskers Brewing Compnay, and Waconia Brewing Company.

Friday, April 10th through Sunday, April 12th is the Blade Runner “One-Shot Weekend”, a second screening event being hosted by the Trylon Microcinema this week. Ridley Scott’s 1982 film will be shown at 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM on Friday and Saturday, and at 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM on Sunday. Twin Cities geeks who have been enjoying our own Garrick Dietze’s Throwback Thursday: Dystopian Dick articles may be interested in attending an additional special screening held at 10:00 AM on Saturday in conjunction with the Trylon’s “That Movie Was a Book?” book club, which will be followed by a discussion of both the film as well as Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, the 1968 novel upon which Blade Runner was based.

Another trivia event happening this week is the Geek Partnership Society’s Team Trivia Challenge, which is “a game show-style trivia competition for teams, and a fun-filled event for both competitors and spectators alike.” Eight teams (the previous year’s champions defending their title against seven challengers) of up to four members each will be putting their science fiction and fantasy knowledge to the test as they attempt to answer questions on a variety of topics ranging from comics to movies to science to television and more. Questions will also be asked about the four books on the reading list for this year’s challenge, which are Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, I Am Legend by Richard Matheson, Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo, and Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson.

Also on Saturday, April 11th, Subtext Books will be hosting a “fun off-the-cuff reading” by Steve Brezenoff (writer of Brooklyn, Burning and GIRL: Guy in Real Life) and Eric Smith (writer of The Geek’s Guide to Dating and Inked), who will be sharing their work “and the world of geek” with attendees of this event. This reading is actually one of several reading events being held at Subtext Books this week in conjunction with the aforementioned Association of Writers & Writing Programs Conference; a full listing of all of the AWP Conference-related readings can be found on the Events page of Subtext Books’s website.

Finally, Grumpy’s Bar & Grill will be hosting a benefit for Courtney Nealy, a “beloved bartender [who] suffered a series of debilitating strokes” on Sunday, April 12th in order to raise funds to help cover the cost of his medical and living expenses. This sci-fi themed party will feature “sci-fi style tunes” spun by DJ Jake Rudh (of 89.3 The Current), a “Taco Spacebar,” “Big Damn Hero Beer” from Bent Brewstillery, and a silent auction, among other “fun and games.”

Whew! So, which of these (many) events will you be attending? What events would you like to see featured in the future? Let us know in the comments section below or contact us via email. And don’t forget to add your events to the Twin Cities Geek Community Calendar!

About the Author

Sean was placed in a local comic shop at age eight and sent hurtling in the direction of comic-book collecting and culture just as the comics industry exploded. Now, disguised as a mild-mannered library media specialist for a great metropolitan school district, he fights a never-ending battle for the Twin Cities Geek way.

Comments

By John Tessier

Don’t forget Trailer Trash V at the Mall of America on Thursday at 7:30. If you’re a movie geek, this is sure to please. Nothing but old movie trailers. I’ve been to previous showings and it’s always fantastic.